Originally posted by lazs2
you are talking about in england tho right? seems I had read about some woman who was jailed a few years back. What do they do in england if they catch you?
What if you don't pay the "bill" (tax)? I mean... it is your TV and you are simply turning it on. How is a TV different from a radio say in that it captures a signal that is in the air.... the air that belongs to everyone?
Lazs, we've done this to death in other threads. I could post a link to the TV licensing website which describes the penalties for nonpayment of the TV licence fee. It's a maximum fine of £1000, but a fine of £150 is more typical. There is no jail sentence.
However, if you were to disobey a Court Order to pay the fine, you would be in contempt of Court.
That is an entirely different offence. You would be given every chance to rethink your position, but if you resolutely refused to comply with the Court's order to pay up and could not show a case of financial hardship, you might get a short jail sentence - something like 2 weeks. But look on the bright side - you'd have TOD to look forward to, after your release.
For those interested, this whole business was discussed in the Mydavis thread -
http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=169122 - I can't be arsed to type it all out again here.
As to the cost of the licence, at £126.50 a year or £10/month (=$18 USD/month) it's exceptional value. If you would look to
this thread, in which American guys are discussing their cable TV costs, you'll see that many are paying $100
every month! 
One guy in there pays
over $150 every month!! 
And, before any smart alec asks how man channels I get, I don't equate the number of channels available to the quality of service. I agree with Dowding. I watch the 5 main channels, and for a small one-time fee I could get a decoder box which, I believe, would open up about 30 additional channels. I even have a satellite dish (put there by previous house owner) but I don't use it.
Lazs, the British way is the best way. We have more choices. Over there, you either pay your cable fee, or else you get no TV, or one channel with lousy reception, which is what I got in Concord, some 34 miles from where you live now. But here, we have a third alternative: We can watch TV and not pay the licence fee, taking that chance that we won't get found out! Go on, admit it, Lazs. That's the option you'd like best - kind of like not wearing your seatbelt, you chancer!
Skuzzy, PLEASE don't clip this one! Or we'll never get Lazs, jackal et al to understand! I've been nice this time. 
